christology, greco-roman religious piety 227
life with Christ forever and of reigning with him in his kingdom (2 tim
2:12a, 13; 4:1). if we are faithless, he will remain faithful (2 tim 2:13). his
return is πᾶσι τοῖς ἠγαπηκόσι his coming (2 tim 4:8). until then timothy
is not to be ashamed of testifying to τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν or shrink from suf-
fering for the gospel (2 tim 1:8). for it is Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν who
judged the apostle Paul faithful by appointing him to his service (1 tim
1:12). orthodox teaching is that which agrees with “the sound words of our
lord Jesus Christ” (1 tim 6:3).
this use of Christological titles is thoroughly Pauline. the syntax is
atypical at points but the language (with rare exception) is very much
Paul’s and the theological ideas distinctively so. scholars have questioned
a first-century Sitz im Leben for titles such as “Christ our savior.”28 yet the
language of salvation through Christ is thoroughly Pauline and Christ as
“savior” similarly so. for example, Paul tells the Philippian church, “our
citizenship is in heaven from which we await a σωτῆρα, the κύριον Ἰησοῦν
Χριστόν” (Phil 3:20).
scholars have also questioned a first-century Sitz im Leben due to atypi-
cal words such as εὐσέβια, a term for piety found thirteen times in the
Pastorals,29 and ἐπιφάνεια (“epiphany”) found seven times of Christ’s
return.30 Εὐσέβια is found alongside such familiar Pauline terms as
ἁγιασμός (“holiness”),31 and ἁγνεία (“purity”).32 although commonly con-
strued as an inward disposition, in the Pastorals it denotes an outward
demeanor that is central to all aspects of Christian life and ministry. as
such it is thoroughly Pauline. Εὐσέβια is something that must be put into
practice (1 tim 5:4). a Christian witness to outsiders depends on an active
εὐσέβια (1 tim 2:2). it includes “good deeds” such as showing hospitality
(1 tim 3:2; 5:10; titus 1:8), a generous sharing of resources (1 tim 6:18),
and helping those in trouble (1 tim 5:10). orthodoxy and orthopraxy are
closely connected. “Knowledge of the truth leads to εὐσέβια” (titus 1:1)
connects orthodoxy with orthopraxy. Piety is related to sound teaching
(titus 2:1). indeed, sound teaching is eὐσέβια teaching; the touchstone for
sound teaching are “the wholesome teachings of the lord Jesus Christ”
(1 tim 6:3). the epitome of εὐσέβια is Christ himself (1 tim 3:16). “impi-
ous” (ἀσέβεια) teaching” is chatter that “leads to more impious behavior”
28 Cf. 2 Pet 1:1, 11; 2:20; 3:18; Jude 25.
29 1 tim 2:2; 3:16; 4:7, 8; 5:4; 6:3, 5, 6, 11; 2 tim 3:5, 12; titus 1:1; 2:12.
30 1 tim 6:14; 2 tim 1:10; 4:1, 8; titus 2:11, 13; 3:4.
31 1 tim 2:15; cf. 4:5; 2 tim 1:9; 2:21.
32 1 tim 4:12; 5:2; titus 2:12.
